aircraft canopy

There are aftermarket canopy masks available. 

I use Parafilm M.  http://www.micromark.com/PARAFILM-M,7551.html.  Cut out a section of the material, stretch it out to get the adhesive working and wrap it around the canopy.  With a new hobby knife trim around the frame and remove what needs to be painted.....then paint it. 

I hate masking and I find this method the easiest.  I hope this helps.

first of all, welcome to the forums.

With canopy's there are a few options.

Buy masks (expensive)

Make your own masks (similar to what im assuming you do now)

Freehand (usually looks quite rough)

Foil (get some Bare Metal Foil, cut into strips, use them as the frame)

and im sure there are others that i cant think of. others may know some better methods. Let us know how you get on anyway.

Keep trying, over and over, until you either:

1. Like what you get;
2. Say "It's as good as it's going to get";
3. or, throw the whole thing against the wall in frustration.

I've only ever achieved #2, but have come close to #3 a few times.

I'm working on a canopy now.  I'm going to try a new tactic:  Instead of trying to mask in the corners, I'm going to mask straight lines with Tamiya tape.  Do the first set, allow that to really dry and re-mask for the perpendicular lines.  Might have to make three passes, don't know yet.  Might work, or I might make a mess of it.

Paul

padakr

Keep trying, over and over, until you either:

1. Like what you get;
2. Say "It's as good as it's going to get";
3. or, throw the whole thing against the wall in frustration.

I've only ever achieved #2, but have come close to #3 a few times.

I'm working on a canopy now.  I'm going to try a new tactic:  Instead of trying to mask in the corners, I'm going to mask straight lines with Tamiya tape.  Do the first set, allow that to really dry and re-mask for the perpendicular lines.  Might have to make three passes, don't know yet.  Might work, or I might make a mess of it.

Paul

That is the way I have been doing it lately.  Takes awhile but the results are great. I sometimes have to use even more than three times.